U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon will present the "Defense of Freedom Medal" to the husband of a fallen Central Oregon woman, who died while serving our country as a civilian. Deborah Klecker and three other fallen first responders will be honored on the Bend First Responders Memorial near the Bend Heroes Memorial on Friday. Seven years ago, Klecker was killed by a roadside bomb while working in Iraq, training Iraqi Police.

Klecker worked as a contractor for DynCorp International, she was 51. As a civilian, she is not eligible for the Purple Heart; and in recent years, a campaign by family members and others resulted the civilian medal.

Senator Wyden will present the Defense of Freedom Medal to Greg Klecker at 8:30 Friday morning at the memorial.